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PA PAC—Advancing the PA Profession on Capitol Hill

PAs are busy folks. You’re providing comprehensive healthcare in communities across the country, volunteering with personal and professional interest groups, and putting a face on a dynamic and growing profession. With so much on your plates, maybe you’re looking for an easy way to engage in advocacy and move the profession forward at the same time? One of the easiest ways you can get involved is to contribute to AAPA’s political action committee, PA PAC.

PA PAC is the only federal healthcare PAC dedicated to advancing the PA profession. It helps advance the goals of the PA profession by supporting the election of candidates to the U.S. Congress who support the PA profession and the development of healthcare policy that embraces the role of PAs.

Most members of Congress come to Washington without any experience in healthcare, beyond their family’s own health needs. These decision-makers look to us to provide them with the information they need to improve healthcare delivery, including advancing the profession through PA-positive legislation. PA PAC enhances AAPA’s advocacy efforts by providing greater visibility and increased opportunity to meet with and educate members of Congress about PAs and the high-quality healthcare you provide.

As one of the three providers of primary care in the U.S., along with physicians and nurse practitioners, PAs have established their position as trusted healthcare partners. In fact, a 2014 nationwide study conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of AAPA revealed strong support for PAs, with 93 percent of those surveyed agreeing that PAs are trusted healthcare providers. However, our partners in primary care have historically raised significantly more money for their PACs than we have for PA PAC. So far this year, PA PAC has raised $39,000; in the same time period, the nurse practitioners’ PAC raised $168,000; the American Academy of Family Physicians’ PAC raised $276,000; and the American Medical Association raised $692,000. We have a long way to go to catch up with our peers!

Under federal law, AAPA cannot use membership dues to contribute to federal legislators who support the PA profession. So, your contributions are essential to help us continue to build even greater bipartisan congressional support for the PA profession and for the critically important issues impacting PAs at the federal level, such as providing hospice care, expanding telemedicine and removing outdated federal practice barriers.

Washington is full of voices seeking an audience in front of Congress. PA PAC provides an opportunity for PAs across the nation to elevate and amplify the profession’s message and voice on Capitol Hill.

Your support matters. Please make a generous donation and help us move the PA profession forward. Visit www.aapa.org/PAC to learn more and donate today!